The Only Way is Up... Or Maybe Out

A few weeks ago I wrote about plans to redecorate Lile and Sábha's bedroom. After researching a ton of bunk-bed options and arguing about discussing paint colours at length... Sábha suddenly put a spanner in the works by announcing that she wanted a room of her own "instead of bunk-beds".

Now, I was fully prepared for this to happen eventually... like... maybe when they are teenagers... So, my initial reaction was to laugh it off. I mean, I had to share a room with my two sisters until I was twelve! Also, the fact that she has set her sights on my office/craft room as her new bedroom (it is the third bedroom afterall) made me not want to entertain the thought at all.

But she's been persistent about it... and I'm beginning to cave...

I've realised that, because they are twins, my girls are very rarely apart. The occasional one-on-one dates we take them on are really the only times they get a break from each other. They are even in the same class in school - so, where siblings that don't share a birth-date spend a generous portion of the day away from each other - mine are in each others' faces morning, noon and night. This is mostly okay. They get along well together and don't try to kill one another too often... but I get where Sábha's urge for 'a space of one's own' comes from.

I have that desire myself. I think in another life Devo and I would have been like Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera who, famously, lived in seperate houses connected by a foot bridge. 'Twin-Houses', if you will. Since we've lived together, I have always had an 'office' of some description for myself and Devo has always had his 'music room' (in what would be the dining room). We both feel it's important to keep our individuality despite also having our roles as husband, wife, parent, etc and, although it's a bit luxurious to have a dedicated room each - so far we've managed to make it happen. Even in our tiny house.

Until now...

The problem is, if Sábha is to take over my sunny little corner of the house where on earth will I go? Or, more importantly, where on earth will I keep all the craft stuff I cram in there?! The obvious solution is to do what my parents did when I turned twelve and had had enough of my little sisters - convert the attic.

Our attic is really spacious, with a high roof-pitch. It currently does little more than house the Christmas decorations and a few other odds and ends and could make a really amazing home studio space.

Pretend this is me and one of my children... who incidentally, won't be allowed into the room in case they try to steal that too... [source]

I'd love to have a couple of large VELUX windows inserted, to fill the space with natural light. It would be perfect for photographing my craft projects. I'd have plenty of space for my shelves and desk and I might even create a 'feature wall' at one end to expand my photography options. I would also have a large cosy armchair or daybed, some book-shelves and add some pretty VELUX Blinds to make the space cosy into the evening time. I might even let guests sleep over in it. Maybe...

Unfortunately, for now, that's all it can be... a beautiful, beautiful dream. Sadly, the budget just isn't there at the moment to make it a reality. But someday I will have my dream-space!

My other option is to buy a potting shed... insulate it and make a tiny little craft room in the garden. Which sounds cute... and might actually be more realistic than the final option - which is to share Devo's music room with him.

I don't want to share with a BOY - so the garden it is! Unless you have any other suggestions?

I'd love some more ideas on how to create space... from nothing... on little to no budget... have you got any tips? Please say you do!

Disclosure: This post was written in association with VELUX. All content was written by me, however. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Where Wishes Come From!

Nothing makes me geek out more than the idea of completely changing a space we already have into something new. It's so exciting! And I clearly have little to no life! An attic conversion would be a dream, with a little shed in a close second. My only alternative solution (and it's already setting off alarm bells because we're in the same situation) is to consider converting a storage space into your craft room? Like a storage cupboard in your hallway - have loads of shelves and a tiny desk with just enough room to put a chair in their before closing the door on all the chaos at the end of the day. That's kind of my dream. But as per my alarm bells, we'd have to burn down half our apartment in order to get rid of enough to afford the luxury of giving up precious storage space.

It's an idea. A short-lived idea that will blossom in only one place - our minds.